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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. press — a publisher
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. press — to push
  6. drill — army training
  7. shower — rain
  8. rash — a series
  9. bass — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. drill — the tool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. shower — to wash
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — low music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. press — newspapers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com